Whiskey Review: Remus Babe Ruth Reserve 2025 Bourbon

Introduction

We’re back with another premium pour on Film & Whiskey, and this time we’re diving into the 2025 edition of Remus Babe Ruth Reserve, a limited-release bourbon from Ross & Squibb Distillery, better known as MGP. This is the house label for all of their in-house whiskey releases, and the Remus brand has built a strong following in recent years thanks to high-quality blends like the Gatsby Reserve.

The 2025 Babe Ruth Reserve blends three different bourbons: two from 2017 and one from 2016, clocking in at 8–9 years old. The mash bills lean rye-heavy, with one blend featuring 51% corn, 39% rye, and 10% malted barley. Bottled at 111 proof, this release is limited to 8,300 bottles: rare enough to feel special, but accessible enough to hunt down. Let’s dive in.

Nose

Brad: Really like the nose. It's got apricots, got caramel. It gets that kind of sweet mint that I would expect from a rye. It's a really pleasant, not like super complex, but a little bit fruity, a little bit rye, some of that caramel coming through. I really like this.
Score: 8/10

Bob: It really sticks in that maple donut kind of realm. Quite a bit of fried dough and maple frosting on top of it. And then the other note I get is salted caramel. I say salted caramel because I can almost get a little bit of a saline, saltwater kind of thing on this. I like it a lot. Like you said, not really complex.
Score: 7.5/10

Taste

Brad: I'm so glad you said saltwater. As I was drinking it, all I could think about was saltwater taffy. It's a little bit fruity, nice and solid. There's a bit of that saline. It's very caramel-heavy on the back end. And then the longer I sit with it, the more those rye notes really come through. You get this really interesting, slightly fruity, nice saline, good rye experience. I'm here for it.
Score: 9/10

Bob: I'm not there with you. I like this quite a bit, but if you'd sat this down in front of me and said luxury bourbon, I don't know that I'm getting that from the tasting experience. It's pretty thin, not a luxurious mouthfeel, and once you swallow, it dissipates really quickly. Very spicy, very hot. The rye notes come out on the back of the palate. I appreciate that it's not overly bitter or woodsy, but there's just not a ton of character here. I'm not getting the apricot that you had on the nose. It just feels like a hot high-rye bourbon that stays in those parameters.
Score: 7/10

Finish

Brad: When it comes to the finish, it's very dill forward. There's a lot of oak. It feels like I'm drinking a rye whiskey when I just consider the finish, which is disappointing. I want more of those rich, caramel notes to stick around. It's decent.
Score: 7.5/10

Bob: I think I'm in the same spot. A few of those fruit notes kind of come back, maybe a bit of peach, but I also might just be trying to force the issue. It's a lot more barrel char and toasted oak on the back end for me, so it tips a little bit bitter.
Score: 7.5/10

Balance

Bob: This is like a three-out-of-four-star experience for me pretty much all the way through.
Score: 7.5/10

Brad: I think there's enough ups and downs that I wish it had more. It's a very rye-forward bourbon, which I love. I'm a big fan of this. I will say it has a beautiful smoothness about it. This isn't an average $40 rye-heavy bourbon; this has a smoothness that makes me say, okay, we are talking about a well-crafted whiskey.
Score: 7.5/10

Value

Bob: The MSRP on this is $150. So we're not quite at the bar we set for "luxury" whiskey, which is usually around $200, but let's call this "luxury lite." This is a gifting bottle. Because of the limited release, the age, and the three different mash bills, I don't think this is exorbitantly priced. I also know that I'm not paying $150 for this whiskey.
Score: 6.5/10

Brad: I think that's fair.
Seven out of 10 is like, "Would I pay it? Maybe. Is it worth what they're asking? Yeah, I would say so." Once you hit 8 or 8.5 out of 10, that’s where it's becomes, yeah, I'd probably spend my money on that. Seven out of 10? I'm willing to spend your money on it. 
Score: 7/10

Final Scores

Bob: That takes me out to a 36/50 on this.
Brad: I'm at a 39/50.
Combined Score: 37.5/50

This one falls right into our soft recommendation range. At Film & Whiskey, we typically suggest trying a pour or even picking up a bottle once a whiskey hits 35/50 or higher. A 40/50 is great, 45/50 is excellent. This one, while not a mind-blowing bottle for the price, still delivers a well-crafted and enjoyable experience—especially if you’re a fan of rye-forward bourbons.